News broke in February that Truman State, a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association since 1912, was seeking to end that 100-year marriage and join the Great Lakes Valley Conference starting in the 2013-14 season.

Truman was a charter member of what was originally a conference of only Missouri schools, but in recent years had expanded not only its numbers, but the size of its footprint with schools from Nebraska and Oklahoma recently added.

Official

In June, it all became official. Truman State left the MIAA to join the GLVC. Its addition will give the GLVC 16 members next season. Truman will also help the conference in football, as the GLVC will sponsor the sport for just the second time in 2013-14. The decision was made "in the best interest of Truman State University and its student-athletes," said Athletic Director Jerry Wollmering. The driving forces seemed to be two things: an ability to become a competitive factor in sports where the MIAA competition had left the Bulldogs behind, as well as a better travel schedule.

Money and miles

When Truman begins play in the GLVC they'll find much better road trips, at least in terms of distance. Truman will have new rivals in Quincy University, Missouri S&T, Maryville University, Rockhurst University, Drury University, William Jewell and the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Had the Bulldogs remained in the MIAA, their average road trip next season would have increased to 290.5 miles.

Truman needed to pay an $80,000 exit fee to the MIAA and the future of the famous Hickory Stick Game, the annual football game against Northwest Missouri State, is on hiatus.